MLB Grind Down: Thursday, April 30th
The RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down article will give you an in-depth analysis into the MLB schedule. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on which trends you can exploit. While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy baseball, there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, weather, and salaries.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. No sport has more variance than baseball. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.
Note: Fantasy point averages listed use FanDuel scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s scoring system, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel review.
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Philadelphia at St. Louis
| Philadelphia | St. Louis | ||||||||
 | David Buchanan |  | Tim Cooney | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| STL (-170) | 8 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.226 | 0.593 | 0.272 | 12.7% | SP vs. Left | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.284 | 0.820 | 0.357 | 15.3% | SP vs. Right | ||||
| Batter Splits | PHI BvP | PHI vs L | Batter Splits | STL BvP | STL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
David Buchanan (FD: $5600, DK: $6900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 5.56 — Strikeout Rate: 11.5% — Walk Rate: 12.5% — Ground Ball Rate: 46.4%
2014: xFIP: 4.14 — Strikeout Rate: 14.1% — Walk Rate: 6.4% — Ground Ball Rate: 50.7%
St. Louis Cardinals vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.323 (Rank: 9)
Strikeout Rate: 17.0% (Rank: 5)
Analysis: Buchanan has struggled in his first few starts of the season, posting a 5.56 xFIP with a walk rate that is higher than his strikeout rate. He produces a decent ground ball rate, but that’s really all he has going for him. He is a huge underdog against the Cardinals who have a rookie taking the mound, which goes to show how bad this Phillies’ team really is. Buchanan can safely be avoided in all league formats.
Pitcher Rating:36.6
Tim Cooney (FD: $6100, DK: $5700)
Philadelphia Phillies vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.314 (Rank: 14)
Strikeout Rate: 14.8% (Rank: 3)
Analysis: Cooney will be making his first career start in the majors and he couldn’t have picked a better matchup. While the Phillies are worse against right-handed pitching than they are against left-handed pitching, they are still one of the worst offenses in baseball. Cooney has posted a K/9 right around 7.0 over the last two seasons in the minors and he is listed as -170 favorite today. He could obviously blow up in his first start, but he could also be a very cheap source for a win.
Pitcher Rating: 62.3
Batter Grind Down
Philadelphia
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Freddy Galvis (FD: $2300, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.584 — ISO: 0.100 — OBP: 0.636
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.211 — ISO: 0.136 — OBP: 0.178
Darin Ruf (FD: $2200, DK: $3400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.349 — ISO: 0.375 — OBP: 0.300
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.398 — ISO: 0.230 — OBP: 0.392
Jeff Francoeur (FD: $2200, DK: $2400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.250 — ISO: 0.071 — OBP: 0.267
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.198 — ISO: 0.000 — OBP: 0.250
St. Louis
Matt Holliday (FD: $3500, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.385 — ISO: 0.100 — OBP: 0.424
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.141 — OBP: 0.347
Analysis: David Buchanan is a reverse-splits pitcher that gives up a much higher wOBA to right-handed hitters than he does to left-handed hitters. In 2014, he gave up a .357 wOBA to batters that hit from the right side of the plate. Holliday, meanwhile, is off to a quick start this season, posting a .385 wOBA and a .424 OBP against right-handed pitching.
Secondary Plays:
Matt Carpenter (FD: $4200, DK: $5200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.475 — ISO: 0.316 — OBP: 0.438
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.104 — OBP: 0.381
Matt Adams (FD: $2900, DK: $4800)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.349 — ISO: 0.157 — OBP: 0.345
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.187 — OBP: 0.349
Jason Heyward (FD: $3000, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.243 — ISO: 0.158 — OBP: 0.207
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.363 — ISO: 0.132 — OBP: 0.384
Jon Jay (FD: $2400, DK: $4000)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.270 — ISO: 0.037 — OBP: 0.328
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.325 — ISO: 0.074 — OBP: 0.364
LA Angels at Oakland
| LA Angels | Oakland | ||||||||
 | Garrett Richards |  | Jesse Chavez | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| OAK (-110) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.194 | 0.519 | 0.237 | 24.6% | SP vs. Left | 0.245 | 0.663 | 0.299 | 19.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.208 | 0.542 | 0.252 | 23.7% | SP vs. Right | 0.257 | 0.730 | 0.321 | 25.10% |
| Batter Splits | ANA BvP | ANA vs R | Batter Splits | OAK BvP | OAK vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Garrett Richards (FD: $8500, DK: $10800)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 4.43 — Strikeout Rate: 18.0% — Walk Rate: 14.0% — Ground Ball Rate: 66.7%
2014: xFIP: 3.15 — Strikeout Rate: 24.2% — Walk Rate: 7.5% — Ground Ball Rate: 50.9%
Oakland Athletics vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.341 (Rank: 5)
Strikeout Rate: 16.9% (Rank: 4)
Analysis: Richards has struggled with his command in his first two starts since coming back from injury. We can certainly give him a pass for being rusty, but hopefully he will get back to the same level that he reached last year. He finished 2014 with a 3.15 xFIP and an impressive strikeout rate of 24.2%. I’m waiting for the perfect opportunity to target Richards, but today is not that day. He’s overpriced (especially on DraftKings) and he draws a difficult matchup against the A’s, who are ranked fifth in wOBA against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:58.3
Jesse Chavez (FD: $6700, DK: $7600)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 3.99 — Strikeout Rate: 26.0% — Walk Rate: 8.0% — Ground Ball Rate: 32.3%
2014: xFIP: 3.67 — Strikeout Rate: 21.9% — Walk Rate: 7.9% — Ground Ball Rate: 42.0%
LA Angels of Anaheim vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.274 (Rank: 27)
Strikeout Rate: 21.1% (Rank: 17)
Analysis: Chavez pitched well in his first start of the season, giving up a single run over six innings of work while striking out four batters. He only threw 90 pitches in that start, but the A’s will look to stretch him out a bit more today. Chavez has great strikeout potential and he has a much better matchup than it would appear. While the Angels have a few big names in their lineup, they are actually ranked 27th in wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. For the price, Chavez is a serviceable SP2 on multi-pitcher sites.
Pitcher Rating:63.4
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
Mike Trout (FD: $5300, DK: $5600)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.426 — ISO: 0.255 — OBP: 0.415
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.404 — ISO: 0.283 — OBP: 0.374
Analysis: Trout is one of the few players in the majors that is close to being matchup-proof. He hits left and right-handed pitching well, he has good speed, he has good power, and he’s had good success against ace-level type of pitching. He currently has a .426 wOBA and a .255 ISO against right-handed pitching.
Secondary Plays:
Kole Calhoun (FD: $3300, DK: $5000)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.365 — ISO: 0.184 — OBP: 0.346
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.190 — OBP: 0.326
Erick Aybar (FD: $2400, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.236 — ISO: 0.018 — OBP: 0.279
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.320 — ISO: 0.103 — OBP: 0.335
Oakland
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Josh Reddick (FD: $3500, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: — DK:
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.458 — ISO: 0.244 — OBP: 0.440
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.239 — OBP: 0.330
Marcus Semien (FD: $2900, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 3B/SS
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.203 — OBP: 0.288
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.288 — ISO: 0.130 — OBP: 0.294
Ike Davis (FD: $2400, DK: $2600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.382 — ISO: 0.123 — OBP: 0.409
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.159 — OBP: 0.360
Toronto at Cleveland
| Toronto | Cleveland | ||||||||
 | Daniel Norris |  | T.J. House | ||||||
| LEFT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TOR (-115) | 7.0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.248 | 0.608 | 0.271 | 20.60% | ||||
| SP vs. Right | SP vs. Right | 0.297 | 0.808 | 0.357 | 17.80% | ||||
| Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs L | Batter Splits | CLE BvP | CLE vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Daniel Norris (FD: $5800, DK: $5900)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 5.19 — Strikeout Rate: 19.3% — Walk Rate: 11.4% — Ground Ball Rate: 27.6%
Cleveland Indians vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.282 (Rank: 25)
Strikeout Rate: 18.8% (Rank: 11)
Analysis: Norris is a young pitcher with a lot of strikeout potential. He averaged over 12 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors last season. While he has had mixed results in his first few Major League starts, he is coming off of a strong outing against the Rays where he struck out seven batters in seven innings of work. Norris makes for an intriguing tournament play against the Indians, who are ranked 25th in wOBA against left-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:61.6
T.J. House (FD: $5700, DK: $5200)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 5.64 — Strikeout Rate: 12.3% — Walk Rate: 15.8% — Ground Ball Rate: 56.4%
2014: xFIP: 3.10 — Strikeout Rate: 18.7% — Walk Rate: 5.1% — Ground Ball Rate: 60.9%
Toronto Blue Jays vs. LH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.356 (Rank: 3)
Strikeout Rate: 16.0% (Rank: 5)
Analysis: House has not pitched well this season, posting a 5.64 xFIP with a walk rate that is much higher than his strikeout rate. There is more risk than potential reward with House, especially when you factor in his matchup against the Blue Jays. Toronto is ranked 3rd in wOBA against left-handed pitching, striking out at the 5th-lowest rate of any team against southpaws.
Pitcher Rating:38.0
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
Josh Donaldson (FD: $4200, DK: $5700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.508 — ISO: 0.083 — OBP: 0.571
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.429 — ISO: 0.353 — OBP: 0.380
Analysis: Any time you see that the Blue Jays are facing a left-handed pitcher, Donaldson should immediately come to mind. He is one of the best hitters in baseball against southpaws. He finished the 2014 season with a .429 wOBA against lefties and he is back at it again this season with a .508 wOBA. He draws a terrific matchup against T.J. House, who gave up a .357 wOBA to right-handed hitters last season.
Secondary Plays:
Jose Bautista (FD: $5000, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.191 — ISO: 0.273 — OBP: 0.091
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.461 — ISO: 0.284 — OBP: 0.449
Edwin Encarnacion (FD: $4000, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.368 — ISO: 0.231 — OBP: 0.308
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.232 — OBP: 0.375
Devon Travis (FD: $3600, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.653 — ISO: 0.733 — OBP: 0.438
Russell Martin (FD: $3200, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.270 — ISO: 0.000 — OBP: 0.364
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.324 — ISO: 0.014 — OBP: 0.423
Cleveland
Ryan Raburn (FD: $2400, DK: $3300)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.453 — ISO: 0.333 — OBP: 0.379
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.264 — ISO: 0.138 — OBP: 0.263
Analysis: Raburn may not be a household name for the casual baseball fan, but he should for those of us that play DFS. Whenever a left-handed pitcher is on the mound, Raburn immediately pops up as one of the best value plays on the board. He has been terrific against southpaws in his career and he should be batting in the heart of the Indians’ lineup.
Secondary Plays:
Carlos Santana (FD: $3400, DK: $4500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/C
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.321 — ISO: 0.036 — OBP: 0.375
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.381 — ISO: 0.198 — OBP: 0.395
Mike Aviles (FD: $2400, DK: $3200)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: OF/SS
2015 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.308 — ISO: 0.130 — OBP: 0.345
2014 vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.285 — ISO: 0.101 — OBP: 0.286
Cincinnati at Atlanta
| Cincinnati | Atlanta | ||||||||
 | Mike Leake |  | Shelby Miller | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| ATL (-110) | 7 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.288 | 0.801 | 0.352 | 13.8% | SP vs. Left | 0.235 | 0.709 | 0.314 | 16.00% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.674 | 0.297 | 21.6% | SP vs. Right | 0.230 | 0.689 | 0.307 | 17.20% |
| Batter Splits | CIN BvP | CIN vs R | Batter Splits | ATL BvP | ATL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Mike Leake (FD: $7300, DK: $7200)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 3.74 — Strikeout Rate: 20.2% — Walk Rate: 7.3% — Ground Ball Rate: 42.3%
2014: xFIP: 3.49 — Strikeout Rate: 18.2% — Walk Rate: 5.5% — Ground Ball Rate: 53.4%
Atlanta Braves vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.322 (Rank: 10)
Strikeout Rate: 16.4% (Rank: 3)
Analysis: Leake continues to fly under the radar in DFS, despite posting very good numbers in each of his last two seasons. He currently has a 3.74 xFIP with a strikeout rate of 20.2%. He typically has good command and he typically produces a ground ball rate above 50%. The biggest issue here is his matchup against the Braves, who have been red hot at the plate recently. The Braves have quite a few left-handed hitters to throw at Leake, which could cause some trouble. Leake gave up a .354 wOBA to batters from the left side of the plate last season.
Pitcher Rating:59.1
Shelby Miller (FD: $8400, DK: $7400)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 4.07 — Strikeout Rate: 15.7% — Walk Rate: 10.1% — Ground Ball Rate: 57.1%
2014: xFIP: 4.47 — Strikeout Rate: 16.6% — Walk Rate: 9.6% — Ground Ball Rate: 39.9%
Cincinnati Reds vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.300 (Rank: 19)
Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 14)
Analysis: Miller may not rack up the strikeouts, but he’s a decent pitcher with decent upside in DFS. His biggest problem is his command. He walked 9.6% of the batters that he faced in 2014 and that number is up to 10.1% this season. Vegas has this game set as a pick ‘em and his matchup against the Reds is mediocre at best. At his price point, there are better pitching options tonight for both cash games and tournaments.
Pitcher Rating:62.4
Batter Grind Down
Cincinnati
Joey Votto (FD: $4000, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.484 — ISO: 0.397 — OBP: 0.435
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.342 — ISO: 0.093 — OBP: 0.403
Analysis: Votto has been eating his Wheaties this season. His numbers are up across the board, especially against right-handed pitching. He currently has a .484 wOBA and a .397 ISO against righties. His price is reasonable across the industry and even though this game doesn’t have a high total, it’s still a favorable matchup for Votto, who is a tough out every time he steps up to the plate.
Secondary Plays:
Jay Bruce (FD: $3100, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.298 — ISO: 0.188 — OBP: 0.310
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.301 — ISO: 0.149 — OBP: 0.301
Billy Hamilton (FD: $3600, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.265 — ISO: 0.105 — OBP: 0.281
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.285 — ISO: 0.104 — OBP: 0.291
Atlanta
A.J. Pierzynski (FD: $2900, DK: $3500)
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.508 — ISO: 0.324 — OBP: 0.452
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.298 — ISO: 0.098 — OBP: 0.309
Analysis: Until the sites adjust his price or until he cools off, there is no reason to fade Pierzynski in cash games. He has 17 hits and 12 RBIs in his last ten games and is currently boasting a .508 wOBA against right-handed pitching. Throw in his discounted price point and his matchup against Mike Leake (.354 wOBA to left-handed hitters) and we have ourselves an elite play at catcher. Don’t be afraid to load up on the other left-handed bats in this lineup as well.
Secondary Plays:
Freddie Freeman (FD: $3400, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.403 — ISO: 0.255 — OBP: 0.367
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.388 — ISO: 0.188 — OBP: 0.397
Nick Markakis (FD: $3000, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.409 — ISO: 0.065 — OBP: 0.492
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.332 — ISO: 0.135 — OBP: 0.342
Kelly Johnson (FD: $2800, DK: $3200)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/3B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.376 — ISO: 0.289 — OBP: 0.333
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.294 — ISO: 0.137 — OBP: 0.296
Washington at NY Mets
| Washington | NY Mets | ||||||||
 | Stephen Strasburg |  | Jacob Degrom | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| WAS (-105) | 7 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.231 | 0.653 | 0.287 | 24.3% | SP vs. Left | 0.224 | 0.639 | 0.289 | 23.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.250 | 0.687 | 0.302 | 30.7% | SP vs. Right | 0.225 | 0.594 | 0.264 | 26.90% |
| Batter Splits | WAS BvP | WAS vs R | Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Stephen Strasburg (FD: $9200, DK: $10400)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 3.72 — Strikeout Rate: 20.9% — Walk Rate: 6.4% — Ground Ball Rate: 45.5%
2014: xFIP: 2.56 — Strikeout Rate: 27.9% — Walk Rate: 5.0% — Ground Ball Rate: 45.9%
New York Mets vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.293 (Rank: 22)
Strikeout Rate: 17.7% (Rank: 8)
Analysis: Strasburg takes the mound for the Nationals tonight, as they take on the Mets in Citi Field. There may not be another player in DFS that has burned more bridges than Strasburg, but as I always say, we have to avoid biases as often as possible. Strasburg’s numbers are down a bit this season, but he is an elite strikeout pitcher that gets to face a weak Mets’ offense in the pitcher-friendly Citi Field. He makes a better GPP play than a cash game play though, as this game is basically set at as a pick ‘em.
Pitcher Rating:81.7
Jacob deGrom (FD: $9400, DK: $9100)
Pitching Stats:
2015: xFIP: 3.82 — Strikeout Rate: 18.6% — Walk Rate: 4.9% — Ground Ball Rate: 36.5%
2014: xFIP: 3.03 — Strikeout Rate: 25.5% — Walk Rate: 7.6% — Ground Ball Rate: 45.4%
Washington Nationals vs. RH Pitching: (2015)
wOBA: 0.284 (Rank: 24)
Strikeout Rate: 23.1% (Rank: 28)
Analysis: After three quality starts to open the season, deGrom was knocked around by the Yankees in his last start. I’m willing to give him a pass, as we’ve seen the Yankees to that to a few aces already this season. DeGrom is coming off of a fantastic 2014 campaign, where he posted a 3.03 xFIP and a strikeout rate of 25.5%. He was dominant at Citi Field last year and I expect that to be the case again in 2015. While the Nationals’ offense has put up a ton of runs in the last two nights, they are still ranked 24th in wOBA against right-handed pitching this season, striking out at the third-highest rate of any team against righties.
Pitcher Rating:83.7
Batter Grind Down
Washington
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Bryce Harper (FD: $4200, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.407 — ISO: 0.281 — OBP: 0.414
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.338 — ISO: 0.144 — OBP: 0.348
NY Mets
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Lucas Duda (FD: $3600, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2015 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.367 — ISO: 0.182 — OBP: 0.379
2014 vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.394 — ISO: 0.270 — OBP: 0.372